Unit heater construction



Feb. 8, 1949. D. w. cHRlsTENsl-:N

l. U NIT HEATE CONSTRUCTION Filed June 10, 1946 Eg d VA Patented Feb. 8, 14949 UNIT HEATER CONSTRUCTION Donald W. Christensen, Racine, Wis.,` assi'gnor to Young'Radiator Company, Racine, Wis., a cor# poration of WisconsinV f Application June 10, 1946, Serial No. 675,694

improved anchoring means for securing in proper;

position and against subsequent displacement the heating coil lheaders for'a unit heater construction of the type disclosed in co-pending application Serial No. 646,660, tiled February 9, 1946.

The preferred embodiment of this invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a, plan view of a unit heater, constructed in accordance with the disclosure shown in the aforesaid copending application, and wherein is incorporated a heating-unit anchoring means embodying this invention;

Fig. 2 isa fragmentary, sectional detail taken on the line 2 -2 of4 Fig. l; and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, sectional detail taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1. y

A vertical-type unit heater, constructed in accordance with the disclosure made in the aforesaid application and equipped with a heating-coil anchoring means embodying this invention, 'comprises a chamber 4, formed between the plates 5 and I, wherein is arranged a heating coil 1 through and around which air is drawn and di.

rected downwardly by means of a fan 8 drivenby a motor 9 protectively mounted in a stack or duct I0, supported on the plates 5 and 6.

The housing plates 5 and 6, which form the chamber 4, are stampedsheet-metal discs having flanges I I and I2 formed along their respective outer perimeters to provide appropriate strength. The upper housing plate 5 has a, central opening formed therein through which extends the stack Ill. The lower housing plate 6 is likewise provided with a central opening bounded by an axiallydisposed i'lange I4 spun from the plate 6 to form a shroud wherein is mounted the fan 8.

The fan 8 is secured to the motor 9 which is mounted on a bracket I5and suspended in the stack III whereby the fan is positioned to draw air in through the perimetrical housing opening` I6 and through and around the heating coil 1.

The heating coil 1, vwith which has been incorporated the improved anchoring means embodying this invention. comprises a pairof headers I1 and I8 to which are bonded the ends of a plurality of tubes I9 whereon are supported the 1 claim. (ci. 257-137) within the chamber 4 adjacent to and directly inwardfrom the perimetrical opening I6, whereupon the tube ends are welded or brazed into. the headers I1 and I 8.

In order to secure the heating coil 1, of such construction, in proper concentric position in the housing 4 and against subsequent displacement the headers I1 and I8 and the plates 5 and 8 have specially-constructed interiitting parts.v

The headers I1 and I8 each comprise a tubular member 2I in one end of which is secured a nipple l22 and in the other end a cap 23. rThe nipple: 22 and cap 23 extend through and have in- I tertting engagement with axially-alined openings 24 and 25 formed in the housing plates 5 and 6, respectively. The nipples 22 are bonded into the ends of the tubes 2| by means of a plate 26, and are threaded at 21 to permit the attachment of steam inlet and condensation outlet conduits y leadingto and from the respective headers I1 and I8. The caps 23 are, likewise bonded into the tubes 2I and are formed with rectangular or other noncircuIar shaped hubs 28, which iit in the similarly-shaped openings 25 in the plates 5 and 6.

By reason of the fact that the nipples 22 and the hubs 28, on the caps 23, extend through the conventional, closely-spaced heat-dissipating iins These several parts of the heating coil are assembled by first placing the fins 28 on the tubes I9 and expanding the tubes slightly by drawing balls axially through the tubes.

monly referred toas a balling process. The

This is comrespective openings 24 and '25 in the plates 5 and 6, the heating unit 1 is supported and retained in proper concentric position within the chamber 4 between the plates 5 and 6, as clearly shown in Fig. l.- 'I'he headers I1 and I8 being thus anchored top and bottom, there is no likelihood of any displacement of these headers'radially of the members 5 and 6 notwithstanding the tension of the tubes I9 resulting from their being bent into the form of an annulus. Moreover, by reason of the rectangular hubs 28 extending through and tting the similarly-shaped openings 25 in the plates 5 and 6, the headers I1 and I8 are secured against rotation on their respective axes. Therefore, the connecting of inlet and outlet conduits to or the disconnecting of them from the nipples 22 will not have a tendency to cause any turning of the headers I1 and I84 to produce a consequent strain on the pipes I9 especially at the point of' their bonding to said headers.

Eye bolts 29l are suitably secured tothe plates 5 and 6 whereby the'unit heater may be suspended in operative position from a ceiling,v

Variations and modifications in the details of structure and arrangement of the parts may be resorted to within vthe spiritand coverage of tubes I9 are then bent into annulus formto t 68 the appended claim.

Iolaim:

In a device of the class described, the combination oi a pair oi annular members spaced to provide a chamber between them communicating exteriorly oi' said members at the perimeters thereof, each oi' said members having a pair of openings formed therein, the openings in one member being alined with the openings in the other member transversely to the planes of said members, said openings being located contiguous to each other near the perimeters oi said members, one opening of each o! said pair of openings being non-circular. and an annular coil located in said chamber, said coil comprising a pair oi' headers connected by a plurality of tubes bent to approximate a circle of slightly less diameter than the outside diameter of said members so as to locate said headers in parallel juxtaposition perpendicular to said members in registration with said alined openings, said headers having a projection on each end thereof adapted to be received in the opening in the adjacent 4 e member whereby said headers are held against displacement radially of said members and said coil is supported between said members wholly by the seating of said projections in said openings. one of said projections on each of said headers being oi non-circular form so as to interfit with the non-circular opening in one of said members whereby said headers are positively held against rotation on their axes.

' DONALD W. CHRISI'ENSM.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are oi record in the ille of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,421,221 Harter June 21. 1922 2,260,594 Young Oct. 28, 1941 2,277,247 Morse /Mar. 24. 1942 

